THE COST OF WIND GOING DOWN

Acciona expects 20 percent fall in wind turbine costs
Martin Roberts, June 9, 2009 (Reuters)

"Spanish renewable energy company Acciona Energia…[estimates] factory gate costs for wind turbines will fall by 20 percent in three years [driven by manufacturers in places like China and Korea], a factor the wind power industry says is crucial to their future.

"Wind power developers at a Madrid conference on Monday said that turbine costs had to come down, especially when the future of subsidies was unclear…"

Acciona is one of the biggest in the world... (click to enlarge)

"Spain is the world's third-largest producer of wind energy, behind Germany and the United States, with about 17,000 megawatts of installed power, which provide some 11 percent of the country's electricity."

...And it has helped make Spain one of the biggest in the world. (click to enlarge)

"The current [Spanish] subsidy scheme for wind power is due to expire in 2012. Producers say a new [Spanish] law enacted last month did not specify whether new wind farms will receive aid after 2010, when total capacity is expected to reach government targets of 20,150 MW.

"Producers say Spain will need 45,000 MW of wind power -- 5,000 MW off shore -- installed by 2020 to reach European Union targets for renewable sources to supply 20 percent of energy consumption."